Interfaith Hospitality Network

A program that offers shelter and case management for women and families who are homeless in Ozaukee County.

Who we serve: Women and Households with Children

How we serve:

Host Congregations/Support Congregations – Host congregations throughout Ozaukee County will provide overnight lodging, breakfast, brown bag lunch, dinner, and hospitality for homeless families during a given week. Support congregations and organizations will provide hosts with assistance, as needed.

Volunteers – Volunteers are at the heart of Family Promise; without them, it cannot exist. Volunteers provide a variety of services: cooking and serving meals, playing with children, helping with homework, and staying overnight. Beyond providing lodging and meals, volunteers interact with the guests, treating them with respect and responding with compassion.

Social Service Agencies– We employ a Network Director to work with local social service agencies that refer families to Family Promise. The director and agencies help guests find housing, jobs, and other much-needed support services. Since Family Promise is primarily comprised of volunteers, the social service agencies help assess potential guest families for active substance abuse, domestic violence or psychiatric problems.

Day Center – Guests use a local Day Center from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to shower, care for pre-school children, and seek employment. Many guests are employed during the day and go to work. During the school year, children go to school. The Day Center provides guests with a mailing address and a home base from which to conduct their housing search. The Network Director has an office at the Day Center.

Transportation – A network van transports guests to and from the Day Center. A network trailer carries bedding and luggage to the next host congregation.

Rapid Re-Housing

A rent assistance program for individuals and families who are literally homeless in Ozaukee County.

Who We Serve: Men, Women, and Families

How we serve:

Coordinated Entry – To access Rapid Re-Housing, households at risk of homelessness may contact Family Promise for an appointment to review their housing situation. The Coordinated Entry Specialist will conduct an assessment and add your household to the Housing Prioritization List if you qualify. Your position on the prioritization list will depend upon your assessment and length of time homeless. The Coordinated Entry Specialist will follow up with you on a regular basis to discuss housing and interest in remaining on the list.

Acceptance into Rapid Re-Housing – When there is an opening in Rapid Re-Housing, the Coordinated Entry Specialist will contact the person at the top of the Housing Prioritization List.

Rapid Re-housing Program – A case manager will work with each household in the Rapid Re-Housing program to help them find housing, provide pro-rated rent assistance, and case management while receiving assistance.

Urgent Needs:

Paper Towels

Toilet Paper

Kleenex

Laundry Detergent

Wish List:

Gift cards

VISA gift card

Gas cards

Garbage bags

Laundry detergent

Dryer sheets

Ziploc bags

Air freshener spray

Swiffer WetJet pads

Swiffer WetJet bottled floor cleaner

Hand sanitizer pumps

Fleece blankets, twin or twin XL sizes

Bed pillows

Vinyl storage totes/bins (18 gallon size is ideal, but any size is fine)